Somalilandsun – Regional leaders say they want Somalia’s central government to take control of Kismayo, a disputed port city where there has been fighting between rival militias.
African leaders said in a statement at the end of a summit in Uganda that control of Kismayo’s seaport and airport “should be handed over” to the Mogadishu-based government.
The decision puts pressure on Kenya, whose troops in Kismayo have been accused of backing one militia, the Raskamboni brigade, against others in fighting there. The Raskamboni brigade —which helped Kenya to push al-Shabaab militants out of Kismayo — is led by a warlord who has established a local administration in Kismayo that’s independent of the central government.
The Kampala summit, Uganda’s capital, was attended by leaders of African countries that have sent peacekeepers to Somalia.
The Associated Press
